Rafael Leão latest ahead of Newcastle as Milan star absent from squad to face Atalanta | OneFootball

An update on the wellbeing of Milan star Rafael Leão has come to the fore late on Friday.

Wide-man Leão, of course, has spent the last month on the sidelines, owing to a thigh issue picked up during Milan’s Serie A meeting with Lecce.

The Portuguese, in turn, was forced to sit out fixtures versus all of Borussia Dortmund, Fiorentina, and Frosinone.

After he was spotted back in training alongside the rest of the Rossoneri’s squad this week, though, the expectation was that he would at the very least be afforded a place on the bench this weekend.

This comes as Stefano Pioli and co. prepare to make the trip to Bergamo, to take on Atalanta.

But this has in fact not proven to be the case.

As confirmed by Sky Italia this evening, Leão was not part of the travelling Milan squad bound for the Gewiss Stadium.

Significantly, though, it is noted that the 24-year-old is now ‘better’, and will as a result be ready to feature from the off against Newcastle United in the Champions League next Wednesday in what will be a vital game for the Rossoneri.

His absence against Atalanta comes largely as a precautionary measure.

Conor Laird | GIFN